Knowing about a rare variety of ruby gemstone- Star Ruby

Star Ruby gemstone is natural and rare variety of ruby gemstones and has a special feature called Asterism. These gems exhibit star-like effects and that is how they have got their name. Star Ruby in Hindi is called Surya Kant Manik, even though not many people know of this name. When taken in the sunlight or put in a single light source, it reflects star-like patterns known as Asterism. Star Ruby represents planet Sun. It is considered as an important healing stone and one must wear it to bring down anxiety and stress. It is also immensely useful for maintaining physical health and getting inner peace.

Who Should Wear Star Ruby gemstone?

This gemstone benefits those who are looking for mental and physical well being. Star ruby is not the same as ruby gem and therefore it can be worn by anyone who is looking for inner peace and strength. This gemstone is specifically beneficial for de-stressing mind doing away with tensions.

In Vedic astrology, its value is significant because of its representation of planet Sun. it is therefore also called ‘Atma-karaka’ or harbinger of energy and health. This gemstone is effective especially for those who are undergoing severe health turmoil in life. Star ruby is good for those suffering from heart disorders.

How to wear Star Ruby gemstone?

Star Ruby gemstone properties

This is a rare ruby variety and exhibits six-rayed star pattern that not only looks utterly beautiful, but also shimmering. This star-like effect in the gemstone is due to its rutile inclusions which appear like aligned needle-like patterns. Indian Star Rubies look silky shining and look spectacular. When mined, this gemstone looks greasy and dull. However, when it is cut, shaped and polished, it looks like diamond.

In the language of gemmologists, red coloured gems belong to corundum family. Other colour varieties of ruby are referred as sapphires. Star Ruby therefore belongs to the same corundum family and this is said to be the second hardest minerals when measured on Mohs scale. It has a hardness of 9. Because of its rich red colour and shimmery silky shine, it is also considered as precious and rare gemstones with diamonds, sapphires and emerald.

Even though star rubies can also be available in different colours like orange, pinkish red, brownish red and purplish, but pigeon's blood red colour of Star Ruby is the most desirable one. This is a pure red colour with hues of blue or violet. These kinds of ruby gemstones are mined from Burma, Myanmar. Burmese Star Ruby gemstone is considered as one of the rarest and most valuable gemstones. This is the gemstone for those born in the month of July and is also great for celebrating 15^th or 40^th wedding anniversary.

Star Ruby gemstone attributes

Gemological attributes-

Many people confuse star ruby with spinel or red garnet gemstone. But largely, star rubies are just a sub-variety of ruby gemstones.

Benefits that you derive

Star Ruby gemstone represents planet Sun and therefore, its metaphysical traits are said to be similar to that of the brightest star, Sun. Its benefits and effects are more or less like that of Ruby gemstone because it is a sub-variety of Ruby stone only. But, because of lower transparency in its appearance, it is more likely used for healing purposes than astrological. Let us have a look at some of the Star Ruby benefits-

|  It advantages a wearer by bringing in positivity and more of confidence.

|  This gemstone is not only trusted by Vedic astrologers, but also has a lot of mention and value in Western astrology.

|  Star Ruby restores calmness.

|  It soothes tensed muscles and simulates wisdom.

|  This gemstone also strengthens motivation.

|  Star ruby stone enhances thought process of a wearer.

|  People struggling to have high morale or better self esteem must wear Star Ruby gemstone.

|  Those struggling to have a proper decision making should also wear it.

|  Value in medical astrology is also a lot more.

|  People suffering from anxiety, dilemma, depression, insomnia, fear and stress should wear star ruby.

|  It benefits a wearer by protecting him/her from physical traumas and intense or shocking psychic attacks.

|  This gemstone has great healing properties and provides benefits for eye disorders, bone and heart diseases.

How to identify star rubies?

Single most important factor that can help you know if it is real star ruby is pleochroism. This is a phenomenon where the colour of stone changes when you tilt it a different angles. Here are other important identification signs that will help you buy real star ruby.

     A classic identification is six-rayed-star effect which shimmers across the surface when seen under direct day light.

     Burmese ruby especially fluoresce very strongly and their effect is visible in the sunlight as well. These gemstones are often extremely glowing and much in demand. Thai Ruby gemstones normally do not have these properties.

     Star Ruby can be identified with its cleavage and hardness. Its cleavage is zero and hardness 9, as measured on Mohs scale.

     In fact, after diamond stone, ruby gemstone is the second hardest material.

     You will be surprised to know that trapiche rubies and Cat’s eye ruby gemstones are also rare and can be confused for star ruby gemstone. Trapiche rubies are different from star ruby gemstones because the former ones have a fixed star and these are incredibly rare variety of ruby.

     Star ruby gemstone also looks like zircon stone, topaz and tourmaline gemstone because of a common red colour that is present in all of these.

Origin and Sources

Mogok mines in Upper Myanmar (Burma) have remained a constant source of ruby gemstones over centuries. Most valuable ones have pigeon's blood red color. In 1990s, rubies were also discovered in Mong Hsu mines. Other sources of ruby gemstones and also the Star Ruby gemstone are Thailand (Chanthaburi Province), Sri Lanka (Ratnapura District), Tanzania (upper Umba River), Kenya, Madagascar, Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Malawi, the United States, Australia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Nepal and Pakistan.

Value of Star Ruby

Star ruby gemstone value is determined according to certain factors such as color, quality, lustre, clarity, carat weight, cut, shape, treatment and certain other factors.

– Colour- Star Ruby can occur in different colours, such as brown, pink, orange, pigeon blood red, purplish red and other similar hues. Bright pigeon blood red star ruby is an extremely rare and most valuable variety of ruby stone. Colour distribution which is even and uniform in a gemstone will be more valuable for obvious reasons. Spots or strips tend to degrade overall worth and value.

– Shape & cut- Value is determined by its unique characteristic, asterism. These stones are cut in en cabochon fashion with higher domes so as to maximize asterism in Star Ruby. Most commonly found shapes of this stone include ovals and pear shape. In order to display asterism in its best form, it is important to have uneven bottoms.

– Treatment- Value of Star Ruby is determined by its treatment. The commonly accepted treatment is heat treatment because when these stones are cut and shaped, they undergo heat of as high as 1700 to 1800 degrees Celsius for many hours. This helps in enhancing their clarity and colour. However, in modern times the commonly found treatment is Fracture-filling.

– Origin- Burmese star ruby gemstone is most popular and demanded variety of ruby gemstone. Ceylon star ruby is also quite popular, followed by Indian gemstones and the ones from Madagascar and Tanzania. Ceylon gemstone however have distinguished and mesmerizing asterism or star effect. Johnson Star Ruby is also known to be the best rubies in the world.

– Quality- Presence of certain inclusions like needle-like or rutile inclusions provides a silky texture to star ruby gemstones. Therefore, these are accepted inclusions. It is in fact this rutile inclusion that gives a luminous star design to star ruby stone. But, you must not buy it with cuts, blurs, breakage and other such visibly annoying factors.

– Clarity- Every gemstone must have rutile inclusion and it is a welcome deformity in fact. There is less of transparency in this gemstone. Finest rubies appear translucent or even opaque with shimmering pigeon blood red colour. Avoid buying Star Ruby for sale with spots or black inclusions though.

Star Ruby price

The quality and size will largely determine its price. One must understand that Star Ruby gemstone is a very rare and unique variety of ruby and hence the value is generally high. When you go to buy original certified Star Ruby, you realize that its cost is not too low, but more on the higher side rather. While deciding price, the strength of star effect, colour and weight comes into foreplay. Star Ruby price in India can go anywhere from ₹ 250 per carat to ₹ 3000 per carat. Depending upon availability and quality, star ruby gemstone cost in UAE or other countries may be different.